STAFF at a health-conscious Taunton company are being licked into shape by a runner who competed at five Olympics.

Health insurer WPA, based at Blackbrook Park Avenue, has announced a partnership with Jo Pavey, a former European 10,000-metre champion,

Jo, who is also a World Championship and Commonwealth Games medallist, is helping the company's employees beat the winter blues and get healthier.

She is taking the team running during January and has designed some basic training plans and one-minute video guides on warming up, stretching and nutrition.

Jo, 49, has also created running programmes, including a zero to 3k training plan.

She said: "I love to run and what better opportunity to share my passion with everyone at WPA and beyond?

“Running complements my hectic family life and keeps me going, pushing my body while embracing everything that the great outdoors throws at me.

"WPA share my values and running is accessible, inclusive and fun.”

The physical benefits of running are well-documented from improving heart health and quality of sleep, to strengthening muscles and lowering your chances of having a stroke and many other conditions.

Mark Southern, WPA’s director of sales and marketing, said: "Jo is an inspiration and lives just down the road from WPA in Devon.

"Like so many of us, her life is a balance between work, family, health and happiness.

"Jo is already helping us with our latest initiative, Jog on January, encouraging us all to run and work off our festive excess."

Mother-of-two and author of This Mum Runs, Jo won European gold 10 months after giving birth to her second child, Emily, and is the oldest track athlete to represent Great Britain in the Olympics.

She is the only British runner and track athlete to have competed in five Olympic Games and the only woman in modern times to run over distances of 1,500 metres, 5,000 metres and 10,000 metres at the Olympics and World Championships.

WPA is a specialist not-for-profit health insurer with a history dating back to 1901.

The multi-award winning company looks after private individuals, families and all businesses from micro-enterprises through to blue chip global brands.